I'll Leave You With This Lullaby
by SkyBlue35
Summary: Post COFA, no spoilers  Alec and Magnus live a happy life. Alec lives  with him now, going to the Institute only to visit family and train with his  siblings. He wakes up sick one day and Magnus takes care of him like a good  boyfriend.  ... Just Malec fluff!


**AN: This is just a short little drabble where Alec wakes up with a fever and Magnus makes him feel better. It's inspired by a Twitter Mortal Instruments RP.**

**The song used at the beginning and as the namesake is Lullaby by Chase Coy**

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><p><em>you can rest easy tonight<em>

_everything is gonna be alright, I promise_

_go to sleep and dream of me tonight_

_everything may not be perfect_

_but at least we tried_

_so tonight, sweet dreams, and sleep tonight_

_I've been trying so hard, can't get you out of my mind_

_and if this is how it has to be_

_just promise you won't forget me_

_and I'll leave you with this lullaby tonight_

It had been a while since Alec had woken up to a feeling like this. He remembered being a child and having a damp washcloth pressed to his forehead. He remembered Hodge dotting about, speaking the names of plants he knew from his lessons, ones he knew were medicinal. He remembered how his mother was often away when all he wanted to do was to curl up in her lap and fall asleep.

But this was different. He couldn't be sick. It was impossible. It'd been over 5 years since the last time he was sick. So what was this, then? He felt freezing cold even though his brain told him he couldn't be because he was under a pile of blankets and was drenched in sweat.

Oh, and the fact that there were a pair of arms wrapped tightly around him that he knew to always radiate heat told him something really wasn't right.

He groaned softly, trying to readjust his head on the pillow so that he could find a cool, smooth part of the fabric. He felt Magnus shift around him and for the first time he realized that it was the middle of the night. A glance to the alarm clock on the nightstand told him he was correct. He hated that he might have woken Magnus up; the warlock didn't need another thing to worry about.

"Alec?" came a soft inquiry from behind him. Magnus sounded half asleep, _and_ _adorable_, Alec noted, unable to stop himself. "Alec, honey, what's wrong?"

Alec sighed. "N-nothing's wrong," he started. He knew something wasn't right with him, but he didn't want to admit it, and he especially didn't want to make it Magnus' problem. "I must have had a dream that made me wake up or something." He turned around in Magnus' arms to face him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

Magnus saw right through his façade. "You didn't, really. I was dreaming that I was on fire, and I was just starting to wake up when I heard you stir. Why is it so damn warm in here?" He threw back the covers from both of them.

Alec immediately grabbed for them again, pulling them up all the way to his neck. "I don't know what you're talking about. It's freezing." He shivered, emphasizing his point.

Magnus gave him a funny look before propping himself up on an elbow to press the back of his hand against his boyfriend's forehead. "Alec, you're burning up." His previously quizzical look turned into one of worry. "No wonder I was so hot. You're practically radiating heat over here."

Alec just shivered again in response, feeling his eyelids grow heavy.

"Poor baby. Let me go make you something that will make you feel better." He moved to get up and off the bed, but Alec and his lightning-fast reflexes, in working order even when feverish, grabbed at his wrist, not letting him move away any further.

"Stay," he pleaded. "You're warm."

Magnus gave him a little smile before leaning down to brush his hair back and kiss his forehead. "I'll be right back," he told him softly. "I'm just going to the kitchen."

Alec seemed to be looking for an argument to make, but he gave up after a moment of searching the warlock's face and settled back into the blankets. "Okay," he mumbled, closing his eyes again and shivering a little from his break from the heat of the sheets.

Magnus got up from the bed; careful to not disturb the cocoon of blankets his boyfriend had formed around himself.

As promised, Magnus returned to the bedroom a few minutes later with a steaming mug in hand. He pulled a leg up underneath him on the side of the bed next to Alec and sat down, reaching down with his free hand to run his fingers over Alec's cheek. The Shadowhunter had fallen asleep again. As much as he wanted to let him sleep in order to recover, he knew the potion he had just whipped up would work more quickly. Despite the glean of sweat on his forehead, Alec looked peaceful in his sleep. His face was relaxed and he looked younger than he truly was.

"Alec," he said softly, brushing the Shadowhunter's hair away from his sticky forehead. "Alec, darling, wake up." He shook his shoulder lightly and the younger boy's eyes fluttered open again. He smiled when he saw those blue globes.

"It smells like you," Alec mumbled, his eyes sliding back to only being half open.

Magnus didn't understand. He continued to run soft fingers over his boyfriend's cheek. "What does, my love?"

"I don't know," he said as he rolled his shoulders, trying to get comfortable. "But it smells like you. But… more."

Magnus knew that people with fevers were often delusional, but he didn't think Alec's was _that_ high. He looked around, trying to figure out what the boy meant when his eyes fell on the drink in his hand. He chuckled softly to himself. That's what he meant. Whatever magical qualities the potion had were unique to him and would have some of the same properties in it that the magic in him had as well. He remembered Alec once remarking on how he smelled like raspberries and something else that he hadn't smelled before. He had described it as _Magnus_, like it was a scent to be marketed as a perfume.

Although he couldn't smell it himself, the same way no one can smell something that they've had around them for a long enough time, he knew the drink must have a concentrated smell and that was what Alec was picking up on.

"It'll make you feel better," he said, trying to make the boy sit up in order to drink. "But you need to sit up first."

Alec obliged, pushing himself up slowly with a groan while Magnus fixed the pillows behind him so he could be more comfortable. When he was settled, he handed the younger boy the mug, keeping a careful hand on it while Alec tipped it to his lips to drink. Finished, Alec handed him back the mug and leaned his head back against the wall behind the bed.

Magnus laid it down on the nightstand and climbed onto the bed next to him, putting an arm around his shoulders. Alec immediately relaxed, leaning in to him, enjoying the feeling of the warlock toying with his hair gently.

Magnus held him close, kissing the top of his head. "That should make you feel better soon," he said softly.

"Magnus?" Alec whispered after a quiet moment.

"Yes, love?"

"Can I lay down again?"

Magnus laughed quietly to himself. "Of course, love." He let the Shadowhunter go, crawling under the covers and laying down next to him. Immediately, the boy wrapped his arms around the warlock, pulling him closer. Magnus smiled, snuggling up against him.

Alec groaned softly. "I need to get up and go over to the Institute." Despite his words, he made no effort to move or even open his eyes.

Confused, Magnus' eyebrows pulled together. "Why?"

"I need to train. Izzy called last night saying there was a possibility of a demon outbreak on the Eastside next week. I can't miss a single day." This time he actually started to move, but Magnus stopped him.

"Alec, when was the last time you were sick?" he asked, still holding the boy close to him.

Alec sighed. "I-I don't remember."

Magnus nodded, bringing a hand up to brush the hair off of his forehead again. "Then you're allowed to be sick and lay in bed for a day." He kissed the Shadowhunter's cheek. "Besides, if you get up and wear yourself out, you'll only be sick longer."  
>The younger boy sighed again, realizing his defeat. "Fine," he said, cuddling up against Magnus again.<p>

The warlock smiled to himself. "You'll feel better soon. I promise."

Alec nodded lightly; feeling exhausted again and already feeling the healing effects of the drink.

"And then I can kiss you and make love to you and you can do the training you're addicted to," Magnus said softly.

If he weren't already half-asleep, Alec would have been more embarrassed of the blush that was forming on his cheeks. But, still, his boyfriend noticed it and he smiled, pressing soft lips to the Shadowhunter's forehead.

"Go to sleep, mi amor," he murmured, knowing Alec was already on his way there. "Go to sleep and dream of being healthy and happy and in love. And when you wake up again, it will be a reality."


End file.
